LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Rhonda Cromer was nominated by her principal, Carol Slonka.

It is Slonka's privilege to recommend GLES Administrative Assistant, Rhonda Cromer, for the LifeChanger of the Year Award. She has worked closely with Ms. Cromer for the past several years and continues to be astounded by her knowledge, ability, and varied skill sets. As the main front office employee in the building, Ms. Cromer meets and greets a variety of students, staff, parents and community members every day, while also answering the telephone and responding to a variety of staff needs.

"In every interaction that I have witnessed, Rhonda remains friendly, courteous, patient, and kind," Slonka said.

Gilbert Linkous is a public elementary school located in Blacksburg, VA in close proximity to Virginia Tech. As a result, the school and community population is quite diverse, with many cultures and languages represented. Parents who visit the building are quick to build trust and friendship with Ms. Cromer as they recognize her impressive knowledge of school operations and the surrounding community.

Ms. Cromer is consistently kind and caring in her interactions with students. She helps daily with calls home for forgotten items and serves as relief nurse as needed. She patiently and calmly deals with every situation that students bring to her, always doing her best to find a resolution that is pleasing to the student. Every morning, she strives to set a positive tone for each student's day as she assists with one need after another in a short period of time.

Gilbert Linkous Elementary School has a positive reputation in the community, and Ms. Cromer's helpfulness and kindness in the front office contribute greatly to that positivity. Many office workers would be challenged by the front office's busy pace, endless questions, and various languages, but Ms. Cromer is never ruffled or stressed. She takes the time needed to ensure that each person is satisfied and made to feel valued and respected.

Ms. Cromer provides leadership in many areas throughout the building. In addition to handling the front office, she serves as the school bookkeeper, orders and pays for supplies and materials, registers new students, prepares payroll for classified staff, manages keys and badges for staff, schedules student classes, follows up on any missing information, acts as nurse when needed, and helps teachers find substitutes. All staff in the building know that Ms. Cromer is the go-to girl for any information or process needed. She is known to always provide a correct answer, even if she has to stop and investigate in order to obtain it.

Ms. Cromer has a solid reputation as a top-notch administrative assistant throughout the district. She is active in the Administrative Professionals Association, and she has often been called upon to serve as an unofficial mentor to newly hired Administrative Assistants. Additionally, the annual audit of her accounting/bookkeeping for the school has been nearly error-free for a number of years. She takes pride in her work and always strives to make sure she is detailed and thorough in completing all tasks. Ms. Cromer was named the Support Staff Employee of the Year for Montgomery County Public Schools in the 2016-17, an honor for which she received monetary rewards and School Board recognition. 

In summary, Ms. Cromer is the epitome of what a successful front office manager represents. She uses a calm, problem-solving approach when presented with challenges, and she routinely displays a can-do attitude. She gives more than 100% in everything that she does and always goes the extra mile for everyone. These attributes make her a true asset to her school and community!

"I feel blessed to have her in charge of our front office each day. She is very deserving of the LifeChanger of the Year Award," Slonka said.